Coat and hat lock.



'N.'7m,4oo. y Patented oct. 7, |902.

I s. 5. ALLEN.

CUAT NUHAT LOCK.

' (Application Bled Jan. 20, 1992.)

TH: nonms PETERS co. FNuTmLITNQ., wnsmnm'ou. n, r:4

. UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. ALLEN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. y

COAT AND HAT LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 710,400, dated October '7, 1902. `Application filed January 20, 1902. Serial No. 90.491. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it nul/y concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Coat and Hat Locks; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same.

My invention relates to devices for locking a hat, coat, or like article upon a hook or similar support, so that it cannot be taken without the knowledge of the owner. The

frequency with which such articles are lost in.

hotels and other public places is well known.

It is the object of my invention to furnish a simple form of lock that can be carried in ones pocket and which is quicklyengaged and disengaged with a hat or coat and which can be easily secured to a hook, nail, ring, or the like.

It consists of two arms, one of which is movable in relation to the other, said arms adapted at one end to receive and retain a fabric, the other end of the fixed arm carrying jaw members which Aare adapted to inclose a hook or nail, one of said jaws movable and adapted when open to allow the arms to open and when closed to prevent the arms being opened, and a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism whereby the said jaws are locked.

It also comprises details which will be more fully explained hereinafter, having reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows one side of hook removed. Fig. 2 is an edge view. Fig. 3 is a side view.

A represents a slotted plate having an eX- tension or arm 2 at one end. The other end of the plate is formed with a fixed jaw member 3. A jaw 4 is pivoted at 5 in the slot and is movable in relation to the fixed jaw 3.

lVhen these j aws are closed, they are adapted to engage a hook or the like and by suitable locking means, to be described later, are prevented frorn being detached from the hook by any unauthorized person.

An arm h' is pivoted intermediate of its ends on the plate A, as at 7, adjacent to the inner end of the arm 2. One side of the plate has a cut away portion 8, whereby the inner end of the arm 6 may oscillate into the slotspace when the jaws are opened, so that the outer ends of the two arms may be separated a sufficient distance to admit of the garment or article to be held. The movable jaw member is provided with a cut-out portion 9. to permit the arm only to move when the jaw is opened to its fullest extent. The arms are kept in a normally closed'position by means of a spring 10. 'Ihe ends of the arms may be provided with suitable means, such as the prongs 1l, wherewith the fabric is engaged, so that it cannot be removed from the arms after they are once closed. The moment the arm 6 is moved to close on the fabric the jaw may be turned to bring a portion 12 of the jaw in the slot beneath the inner end of the lever-arm, so that the arms cannot be r separated. The edge of the portion 11a of the jaw within the slot is formed with ratchetteeth 13. A spring-pressed pawl 14, pivoted in the plate at 15, engages with these teeth, so that as the jaw is closed the pawl prevents its reopening until the pawl is released by a key in the possession of the presumable owner. As here shown, the pawl is in the form of a bell-crank lever, and a key may be inserted through a suitable opening 16 in the plate.

When the key is turned to unlock the jaws, it is desired that the latter will open automatically'. Accordingly a spring 17 is secured to the platejand the jaw L1 in such a manner that the moment the pawl is taken out of engagement with the ratchet the jaw will spring open and release the device from the hook.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination'in a garment-lock of two4 sets of grip members, one of said sets adapted to engage a iixed support, and the other of said sets adapted to engage and hold the garment, and a member of one of said sets adapted to extend into the plane of movement of a member of the other set so as to be locked by the latter.

2. A hat and coat lock consisting of a plate having jaws at one end byV which a hook or the like may be engaged and gripping members on the other end of said plate operating in a plane at right angles to the opening and closing movements of the jaws and by which a hat, coat or the like may be engaged and held.

ICO

3. In a locking device of the character described, a plurality of pairs of jaws having lined and movable members and with the jaws of one pair operating' at right angles to the opening and closing movement of the other pair, one of the members of one pair of jaws having a portion extending into the plane of the movablejaw of the other pair and said movable jaw having a portion to be alined with and prevent movement of said eX- tension.

` 4. A hat and coat lock consisting of two pivoted arms, one of said arms forming at one end a xed jaw, a jaw movable in relation to said xed jaw, said arms forming at their ends opposite to said jaws a pair of gripping members, and one of said members movable in planes at right angles to the movement ofsaid movable jaw and having an extending portion to be alined laterally with said movable jaw.

5. A hat and coat'lock consisting of a slotted plate, a fixed jaw upon said plate, a jaw pivoted and movable in the slot thereof and in relation to the iXed jaw, and a second and independent set of gripping members carried by said plate, and having a member pivoted at right angles to the axis of the movable jaw, and having an extension which alines laterllly with said jaw so as to be locked by the latter.

6. A hat and coatlock consisting ofaslotted plate, a fixed jaw formed upon one end thereof, a second jaw pivoted and movable in said slot, an arm extension on said plate, a lever-arm movable in relation to said extension,

'said arm pivoted between its ends and having its upper end to be alined laterally with the movable jaw, the ends of said arms adapted as gripping members, and means by which said jaws and arms may be locked and prevented from opening.

7. A lockconsisting of a plate having jaw members thereon, one of said jaws movable in relation to the other, a spring by which said jaws are normally kept open, a pawl-andratchet mechanism by which said members may be locked, said jaws adapted to engage andinclose a ring-hook or the like, a leverarm upon said plate, an extension on the plate, said arm and extension forming gripping members adapted toreceive and hold a garment.

8. A lock consisting of a slotted plate, a fixed jaw thereon, a pivoted jaw movable in relation to the xed jaw, a spring by which said movable jaw tends always to open, serrations on said jaw, a pawl adapted to engage said serrations and lock the jaws when closed, means for disengaging said pawl, an extension on said plate, a lever-arm pivoted thereon and movable in relation to said eX- tension, the ends of said extension and arm adapted to receive and hold a garment and said plate andmovable jaw adapted to allow the lever to oscillate only when the jaw is opened.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE E. ALLEN. Vitnesses: S. H. NoURsE,

JEssIE C. BRODIE. 

